Hong Kong gives heartfelt thank you to its healthcare workers

As the Easter holiday is almost upon us and many of us get to enjoy a break, please spare a thought for the Hong Kong healthcare workers on the frontline of the coronavirus pandemic – fearlessly deploying their skills and risking their lives to save and protect the people of this city.

In a stirring show of support on Friday, Hongkongers clapped their hands and beamed electronic messages of support from the city’s skyscrapers in a heartfelt salute to healthcare workers fighting the COVID-19 pandemic.

One healthcare worker responded to the genuine display of gratitude saying: “We’re no heroes. We’re just doing what we should do,” it was reported in the SCMP.

The Hong Kong Community Foundation explained that the foundation was inspired to organise the round of applause “Clap for HK”, after a similar initiative went viral across Europe and the UK in late March.

A foundation spokesman told the newspaper it was all about encouraging people to offer gratitude to workers such as doctors, nurses, carers, emergency service providers and cleaners, in a “a spontaneous initiative to show appreciation to all the COVID heroes who have been working tirelessly to keep us safe”.

The Hong Kong Community Anti-Coronavirus Link – set up in February – invited the owners of 14 commercial premises in the city’s business districts to display words of encouragement to healthcare workers on the exterior of prominent buildings, which were beamed across the night sky over the weekend.

“While medical workers stand firm on the front line, it’s most important to show that Hongkongers are in solidarity and supporting each other to resist the pandemic. We want to let medical workers know that they’re not alone,” said Link convenor Bunny Chan Chung-bun.

The spirits of the healthcare workers were lifted by the responses, with one saying: “We’re no heroes”. We beg to differ.

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